Positioning system and method thereof for an object at home

ABSTRACT

A positioning system adapted to be assembled in an enclosed space, includes a positioning device having a directional arithmetic unit and a positional arithmetic unit; and a plurality of sensors, each sensor electrically connected to the directional arithmetic unit and the positional arithmetic unit of the positioning device. Under this arrangement, the directional arithmetic unit and the positional arithmetic unit of the positioning device accurately measures a current position of an object in the enclosed space, via a time difference between the sensors and an output value of a voltage of each sensor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a positioning system and a methodthereof, and more particularly to a positioning system and a methodthereof for an object at home.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional positioning system includes a ground pad, a centralcontrol unit and a self power generating unit. The ground pad isconfigured to detect a moving target and output an electrical controlsignal. The central processing unit is configured to transport a controlcommand based on the electrical control signal. The self powergenerating unit is configured to transform the kinetic energy of themoving target to the electricity and provide power to the ground pad andthe central control unit. Based on the location distribution of themoving target, the invention can make a functional range of anelectronic device cover the moving target through the control commandset forth above. Therefore, the invention can generate power through thekinetic energy and intelligently control the electronic device.

However, if the moving target is not on the ground pad, the ground padcannot detect the moving target; in other words, the conventionalpositioning system is not functional.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate thedisadvantages of the conventional.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improvedpositioning system.

To achieve the objective, a positioning system adapted to be assembledin an enclosed space, comprises a positioning device having adirectional arithmetic unit and a positional arithmetic unit; and aplurality of sensors, each sensor electrically connected to thedirectional arithmetic unit and the positional arithmetic unit of thepositioning device. Under this arrangement, the directional arithmeticunit and the positional arithmetic unit of the positioning deviceaccurately measures a current position of an object in the enclosedspace, via a time difference between the sensors and an output value ofa voltage of each sensor.

A method of the positioning system comprises directional searching step:the directional arithmetic unit calculates an angle between the objectand each sensor via a distance parameter between each two adjacentsensors and a speed parameter of the object; and positional searchingstep: the positional arithmetic unit measures a position of the objectrelative to at least three sensors, via an output ADC voltage from threeadjacent sensors. Wherein, the object is a heat source or an IR. Underthis arrangement, said steps accurately measure a current position of anobject in an enclosed space.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block chart for a positioning system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block chart for a method of the positioning system;

FIGS. 3-4 are diagrams for showing a detecting region of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for showing a directional searching step; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram for showing a positional searching step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a positioning system for an object at home inaccordance with the present invention comprises a positioning device 1and a plurality of sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. The positioning device1 has a directional arithmetic unit 11 and a positional arithmetic unit12. Each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 is a FIR (Passive Infra-Red)sensor. Each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 is electrically connected tothe directional arithmetic unit 11 and the positional arithmetic unit 12of the positioning device 1. Specially, the directional arithmetic unit11 and the positional arithmetic unit 12 of the positioning device 1accurately measures a current position of an object in an enclosed space10, via a time difference between the sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 andan output value of a voltage of each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25. Theobject is a heat source or an IR.

Referring to FIG. 2, a method of the positioning system as abovedescription comprises a directional searching step S1 and a positionalsearching step S2. In regards to the directional searching step S1, thedirectional arithmetic unit 11 calculates an angle between the objectand each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 via a distance parameter betweeneach two adjacent sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, and a speed toparameter of the object. In regards to the positional searching step S2,the positional arithmetic unit 12 measures a position of the objectrelative to at least three sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, via an outputADC (Analog/Digital Converter) voltage from three adjacent sensors 21,22, 23, 24 and 25. Under this arrangement, the positioning device 1accurately measures a current position of an object in an enclosed space10 via said steps; wherein, the object is a heat source or an IR.

The present invention can cooperate with an electric device. Forexample, the present invention controls the electric device according toa position and an identity of a person in a house, so as to fit anoperation of the electric device for the person. In addition, thepresent invention can accurately measure a current position and a movingdirection of the person for monitoring purpose.

Referring to FIGS. 3-4, FIG. 3 shows the enclosed space 10, the sensors21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 and a sensed area 3. FIG. 4 shows the sensed area3 with a two-dimensional manner. The sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 areassembled at a ceiling and are spaced from each other.

Clearly, the directional arithmetic unit 11 measures a moving directionof a sensed object 4. The sensed object 4 is a heat source or a person.Referring to FIG. 5, there are two sensors 21 and 22. One sensor 21 islocated at a left side of the enclosed space 10 and is a PIR_A. Anothersensor 22 is located at a right side of the enclosed space 10 and is aPIR_B. The sensed object 4 is located at a top right side relative tothe sensors 21 and 22. Another sensor 22 is located at right siderelative to one sensor 21. Another sensor 22 defines a central axis X.The central axis X passes through another sensor 22. A first rightthermo wave R1 is defined from the sensed object 4 to another sensor 22.The first right thermo wave R1 meets the central axis X at a top end ofanother sensor 22. Another sensor 22 defines a second right thermo waveR2. The first right thermo wave R1 is symmetrical to the second rightthermo wave R2 relative to the central axis X. An angle θ is defined bythe first right thermo wave R1 and the central axis X. A first leftthermo wave L1 is defined from the sensed object 4 to one sensor 21. Onesensor 21 defines a second left thermo wave L2. The first left thermowave L1 is symmetrical to the second left thermo wave L2. A distance D(D_(AB)) is defined between the sensors 21 and 22. A distance betweenthe second left thermo wave L2 and the second right thermo wave R2 isdefined as D_(AB)Sinθ. A relationship between the distance D (D_(AB))and a sample rate is defined as following:

$\frac{D_{AB}\sin \; \theta}{v} > \frac{1}{{Sample}\mspace{14mu} {Rate}}$

Wherein, the sensors 21 and 22 search the sensed object 4 at a speed.Said speed is defined as v; the sample rate is constant. The sensors 21and 22 define a delay time (Delay). The angle θ can be calculated tomeasure the moving direction of the sensed object 4; the function isshown as following:

$\theta = {\sin^{- 1}\left( \frac{{Delay}*v}{D_{AB}} \right)}$

Referring to FIG. 6, the sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 correspond to awave (about 10 mm) from a heat source of a human body, so that theoutput ADC voltage from each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 depends on adistance between the person and each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25. Whenthe output ADC voltage from each sensor 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 is definedas a distance parameter, the positioning device 1 searches a position ofthe person via three sensors 23, 24 and 25. Clearly, the three sensors23, 24 and 25 enclose the sensed object 4. The three sensors 23, 24 and25 respectively define a first sensing region 50, a second sensingregion 51 and a third sensing region 52. The coordinate positions of thethree sensors 23, 24 and 25 are respectively (X_(A), Y_(A)), (X_(B),Y_(B)) and (X_(C), Y_(C)). The coordinate position of the sensed object4 is (X₀, Y₀). A distance between the sensor 23 and the sensed object 4is D_(AO). A distance between the sensor 24 and the sensed object 4 isD_(BO). A distance between the sensor 25 and the sensed object 4 isD_(CO). The function for the position of the sensed object 4 is definedas following:

D _(AO)=√{square root over ((x _(A) −x _(O))²+(y _(A) −y _(O))²)}{squareroot over ((x _(A) −x _(O))²+(y _(A) −y _(O))²)}

D _(BO)=√{square root over ((x _(B) −x _(O))²+(y _(B) −y _(O))²)}{squareroot over ((x _(B) −x _(O))²+(y _(B) −y _(O))²)}

D _(CO)=√{square root over ((x _(C) −x _(O))²+(y _(C) −y _(O))²)}{squareroot over ((x _(C) −x _(O))²+(y _(C) −y _(O))²)}

The follows shows how the function is figured out.

$\mspace{20mu} {D_{AO} = \sqrt{\left( {x_{A} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{A} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}}}$$\mspace{20mu} {D_{BO} = \sqrt{\left( {x_{B} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{B} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}}}$$\mspace{20mu} {D_{CO} = {{\left. \sqrt{\left( {x_{C} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{C} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow D_{AO} \right. - D_{BO}} = {\sqrt{\left( {x_{A} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{A} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}} - \sqrt{\left( {x_{B} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{B} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}}}}}$${D_{AO} - D_{CO}} = {{\sqrt{\left( {x_{A} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{A} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}} - \left. \sqrt{\left( {x_{C} - x_{O}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{C} - y_{O}} \right)^{2}}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow D_{AO}^{2} \right. - D_{BO}^{2}} = {{{- 2}x_{A}x_{O}} - {2y_{A}y_{O}} - x_{B}^{2} - y_{B}^{2} + {2x_{B}x_{O}} + {2y_{B}y_{O}} + x_{A}^{2} + y_{B}^{2}}}$${D_{AO}^{2} - D_{CO}^{2}} = {{{{- 2}x_{A}x_{O}} - {2y_{A}y_{O}} - x_{C}^{2} - y_{C}^{2} + {2x_{C}x_{O}} + {2y_{C}y_{O}} + x_{A}^{2} + \left. y_{C}^{2}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow \begin{bmatrix}{D_{AO}^{2} - D_{BO}^{2} + \left( {x_{B}^{2} + y_{B}^{2} - x_{A}^{2} - y_{A}^{2}} \right)} \\{D_{AO}^{2} - D_{CO}^{2} + \left( {x_{C}^{2} + y_{C}^{2} - x_{A}^{2} - y_{A}^{2}} \right)}\end{bmatrix} \right.} = {\left. {\begin{bmatrix}{2\left( {x_{B} - x_{A}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{B} - y_{A}} \right)} \\{2\left( {x_{C} - x_{A}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{C} - y_{A}} \right)}\end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix}x_{O} \\y_{O}\end{bmatrix}}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow \begin{bmatrix}{D_{1O}^{2} - D_{2O}^{2} + \left( {x_{2}^{2} + y_{2}^{2} - x_{1}^{2} - y_{1}^{2}} \right)} \\\vdots \\{D_{1O}^{2} - D_{NO}^{2} + \left( {x_{N}^{2} + y_{N}^{2} - x_{1}^{2} - y_{1}^{2}} \right)}\end{bmatrix} \right. = {\left. {\begin{bmatrix}{2\left( {x_{2} - x_{1}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{2} - y_{1}} \right)} \\\vdots & \vdots \\{2\left( {x_{N} - x_{1}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{N} - y_{1}} \right)}\end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix}x_{O} \\y_{O}\end{bmatrix}}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow \mspace{20mu} \overset{\_}{A} \right. = {\left. \begin{bmatrix}{2\left( {x_{2} - x_{1}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{2} - y_{1}} \right)} \\\vdots & \vdots \\{2\left( {x_{N} - x_{1}} \right)} & {2\left( {y_{N} - y_{1}} \right)}\end{bmatrix}\mspace{20mu}\downarrow \mspace{20mu} \overset{\_}{B} \right. = {{\begin{bmatrix}{D_{1O}^{2} - D_{2O}^{2} + \left( {x_{2}^{2} + y_{2}^{2} - x_{1}^{2} - y_{1}^{2}} \right)} \\\vdots \\{D_{1O}^{2} - D_{NO}^{2} + \left( {x_{N}^{2} + y_{N}^{2} - x_{1}^{2} - y_{1}^{2}} \right)}\end{bmatrix}\mspace{79mu}\begin{bmatrix}x_{O} \\y_{O}\end{bmatrix}} = {\left( {{\overset{\_}{A}}^{T}\overset{\_}{A}} \right)^{- 1}*\left( {{\overset{\_}{A}}^{T}\overset{\_}{B}} \right)}}}}}}$

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A positioning system adapted to be assembled inan enclosed space, comprising: a positioning device having a directionalarithmetic unit and a positional arithmetic unit; and a plurality ofsensors, each sensor electrically connected to the directionalarithmetic unit and the positional arithmetic unit of the positioningdevice; wherein, the directional arithmetic unit and the positionalarithmetic unit of the positioning device accurately measures a currentposition of an object in the enclosed space, via a time differencebetween the sensors and an output value of a voltage of each sensor. 2.A method of the positioning system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:directional searching step: the directional arithmetic unit calculatesan angle between the object and each sensor via a distance parameterbetween each two adjacent sensors and a speed parameter of the object;and positional searching step: the positional arithmetic unit measures aposition of the object relative to at least three sensors, via an outputADC voltage from three adjacent sensors; wherein, said steps accuratelymeasure a current position of an object in an enclosed space.
 3. Themethod as claimed in claim 2, wherein the object is a heat source or anIR.